Hammerson confirms appointment of AEW boss as next CEO
Hammerson has confirmed that AEW Europe boss Rob Wilkinson will be appointed as its next chief executive officer, effective from the New Year.
As reported last week, he will replace Rita-Rose Gagné who will retire after five years in the role.
Wilkinson has served as CEO of AEW Europe for over 11 years. He joined the company in 2009, initially serving as chief investment officer in Europe until 2014 when he was appointed as CEO.
Prior to this, he was a non-executive director at Grainger from 2015 to 2023 and has also been a non-executive director of Derwent London since 2024. Wilkinson brings 30 years of experience in real estate investment markets to Hammerson, having previously worked at Goodman Group, Eurohypo and UBS.
Robert Noel, chair of Hammerson, said: “We are delighted to be appointing Rob Wilkinson as the next CEO of Hammerson. Rob is an established and proven real estate leader who brings a wealth of experience and a track record of delivering shareholder value. Through a rigorous recruitment process, Rob stood out from a strong field of candidates as someone who was able to translate strategic insight into shareholder value creation through exceptional leadership. On behalf of the board, I welcome Rob to Hammerson and look forward to working with him when he joins the business in December.”
Rob Wilkinson added: “I am honoured to have been appointed as CEO of Hammerson and look forward to working with the team. Under Rita-Rose’s leadership the company has completed a major turnaround of the portfolio and restructured the balance sheet, firmly establishing Hammerson in a new phase of growth. I am excited to continue this journey, advancing the company’s unique portfolio of prime retail and leisure anchored city destinations.”